With the amended Senate Bill 2040, now carried by budget chief Sen. JD Alexander, only a few provisions remain in the reform bill that many feared would align the state with Arizona's controversial immigration laws.

The amendment aimed to crack down on employment of illegal immigrants failed on a 23-16 vote, and what's left of the bill could get a Senate vote Wednesday.

That leaves little wiggle room to work out differences with a stricter House reform by Rep. William Snyder, R-Stuart, by Friday's end of session. Snyder said the House would likely not be interested in the watered down version, so that may end the immigration conversation this year.

"There is no right answer in my view," said Alexander, a farmer whose district includes western St. Lucie County. "The reality is, many of these families have been in our state, working hard, trying to improve their lives, many of them for decades, with a wink and a nod from the federal government."

The voted-down Senate amendment would have made using the federal E-Verify program mandatory for employment at state agencies. Private employers wouldn't have that requirement; However, the bill calls for fining employers $500 to $1,500 for hiring someone here illegally.

The measured version facing a Senate vote Wednesday boils down to checking job seekers' citizenship at one-stop career centers, ensuring they're here legally when citizens apply for state or federal benefits, and checking to see if arrested individuals have the correct documentation, while making it slightly easier to deport undocumented prisoners.

Snyder's House Bill 7089 takes a tougher tone, and requires all employers to check the citizenship status of new employees with E-Verify, and lets law enforcement officials check the status of people under criminal investigation.

Snyder said he's not sure the House would be interested in taking up a bill that has no E-Verify or law enforcement component.

"We're disappointed," Snyder said. "We worked hard to have a comprehensive immigration reform package, and the Senate sees it differently."

That bill has been ready for a floor vote for weeks, and now his chamber has to decide if they'd conform to a watered-down Senate bill. That likely won't be worthwhile, Snyder said.

"I think we have made reasonable accommodations to those who are afraid of racial profiling," Snyder said of the House bill. "And to do much less than what we've said would be nothing less than to pretend."

The Senate hasn't been nearly as steady ushering along their reform, and the task has changed hands three times. It started with Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Sarasota. Then Sen. Anitere Flores, a Miami Republican, held the bill, despite saying earlier that the House immigration bill was introduced for racist reasons.

And two weeks ago, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R- Merritt Island, handed it to Alexander, who openly opposed E-Verify from personal experience running his farm.

Gov. Rick Scott, who campaigned in the primary election heavily on protecting Florida's borders, also has been less vocal in calling for the reform.

"I don't want to part of a system that relies on illegal conduct as a business model," said Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, who voted for the amendment. "I think making sure people we know the people working for companies are legally here is the most important thing the state can do to address this issue."

Meanwhile, human rights groups, immigration activists, religious groups and big time business lobbies have leaned against immigration reform throughout the process in opposition. Despite pressures from outside forces, Snyder said it's still a human rights issue that citizens are pleading for.

"Many powerful special interests have opposed us, but the people of Florida remain strong in their support," Snyder said.